It was a clash of the titans when the Saitama Wild Knights and Brave Lupus Tokyo fought out a thrilling 28-28 draw in the top-of-the-table clash in Japan Rugby League One.
Wild Knights coach Robbie Deans, also a former boss of the Wallabies, had to settle for a share of the spoils in Sunday's match in Kumagaya.
In a high-octane encounter that saw momentum shift repeatedly, Brave Lupus appeared in trouble when they trailed 16-7 at halftime, having been dominated territorially despite enjoying a strong breeze at their backs.
Orchestrated by All Black flyhalf Richie Mo'unga, who had scored their opening try and then set up two more, the defending champions rallied and were on course for the win until winger Koki Takeyama's second try with five minutes to play drew the home side level.
In last year's grand final loss to Brave Lupus, the Wild Knights had what would have been the match-winning try struck off by an intervention from the television match official.
On Sunday it was Brave Lupus left counting the cost of the replay, after winger Jone Naikabula had a try rubbed out for dangerous use of a forearm by Seta Tamanivalu on his Wild Knights' opposite in the lead-up play.
The Fijian-born Brave Blossoms winger did later score, but the draw keeps the Wild Knights on top of the standings, five points ahead of Brave Lupus, who remain second.
Joseph Manu scored two tries to lead a thrilling comeback, but it fell short as Verblitz suffered their fifth loss of the season following Sunday's 44-40 defeat by Sagamihara Dynaboars.
The Dynaboars had romped to a 41-14 halftime lead, but two tries in seven minutes by the ex-Sydney Roosters NRL star straight after the resumption breathed life into the contest.
Wallaby Matthew Philip's first-half try was in vain for Yokohama Eagles on Saturday as Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay came from behind for a 30-22 win that lifted them into third place.
Dave Rennie's Kobe Steelers lost their chance to enter the top four after a dramatic 31-29 loss to Tokyo Sungoliath, with ex-Chiefs flyhalf Bryn Gatland missing a 76th-minute conversion to tie the scores.
Samu Kerevi's Urayasu D-Rocks beat Mie Heat 31-26 for a first win of the season, and Black Rams Tokyo suffered a fifth consecutive loss, going down 32-24 against Shizuoka Blue Revs.
